Wednesday, May 05, 2010


This is from my third round game of the Bergen County Open 2010 held at the Bergen Chess Mates in Ridgewood, New Jersey. As Black, I had a two-pawn advantage, and pressing my C pawn to promotion. It's only two squares from its queening square, but the C pawn isn't about to walk in there without opposition. Certainly, blockading it is imperative before it advances another square. The move I expected from White was 38. Qc2 which by itself isn't a life-saving move because 38... Rd2 is problematic. However, sometimes, chess players, including myself, make desperate game-losing moves when behind in the game. Here, White played 38. Re6? which I had already calculated to be immediately losing. Why did White play this move? Perhaps, he didn't realize that Black will have a temporizing move that will help the C pawn to promote. The game continued, from the diagram, 38. Re6 Qe6 39. Qe6 Re6 40. Re6 Rd1+ and the pawn will reach the queening square.